Share this with

Andrew Lloyd Webber said he was heartened that musical theatre remained such a vibrant force after being presented with a special prize for his achievements at the Laurence Olivier Awards.

“If I have been one small part of this, then that’s enough for me,” the impresario said.

Hit West End show Hairspray, meanwhile, took four top awards during the evening.

Its young star, Leanne Jones, was named best actress in a musical for her role as Tracy Turnblad. The 22-year-old from Romford, Essex, had never appeared on the professional stage before landing the part and was working in a Halifax bank call centre this time last year.

She said of her award: “This is what I dreamed of my whole life and I can’t believe what has happened to me in the last 12 months.”

Michael Ball, who plays Tracy’s mother, won best actor in a musical while Tracie Bennett won best performance in a supporting role. The show, adapted from the cult John Waters film about a plump teenager who dreams of landing a spot on a local TV dance show in Sixties Baltimore, was also named best new musical.